Ventra supports both account-based processing through an agency-issued smart card, as well as open payment which enables customers to “pay as you go” with bank cards they already have or through mobile payment platforms including Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay.

The app is the first of its kind to allow customers to pay for rides on all three transit systems — CTA, Metra and Pace — from their mobile devices, transforming the way people across Chicago take transit each day.

They were buying CTA’s magnetic stripe cards, which don’t cost anything, and all the money spent on them went toward fares. However, the Ventra smart card costs $5.00, and to get reimbursed with transit credits, users must provide a permanent address, which poses a challenge for many social service clients.